Despite showing its true blue color on issues like marijuana and gun control, California surprised many when voters chose to shoot down a proposition to abolish the state’s long defunct death penalty and passed one that aims to reform and expedite the appeals process.

Now, groups like the ACLU and others have filed suit to prevent the state from resuming executions. But proponents of the new appeals system say they believe the challenges will be dismissed and executions could resume within the next year.

What are the next steps on both sides of the death penalty fight in California? What are the factors at play on each side of the legal challenges to the new system?